Introduction
A steaming bowl of soup strikes the perfect balance between comfort and nutrition. On a cold day, few foods could satisfy more than these versatile, soul-warming recipes. The broths, aromatics, proteins and vegetables meld together to create dishes far greater than the sum of their parts. Best of all, soups morph and transform with the seasons, meaning new ones await all year round. This roundup covers 20 of the most popular soup recipes sure to please any palate.
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20 Popular Soup Recipes
Soups are a universal comfort food, enjoyed in various forms across cultures. This article will take you on a culinary journey, exploring 20 popular soup recipes from around the world.
- The Soups: This is the main body of the article. It lists 20 popular soup recipes from various cultures, providing a brief description of each soup.
- Conclusion: This section wraps up the article by summarizing what the reader has learned and encouraging them to try making these soups at home.
- Minestrone – An Italian staple, Minestrone is a hearty vegetable soup made with a tomato-y broth and pasta or rice. Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes.
- French Onion Soup – A classic French soup made of onions and beef stock, usually served with croutons and melted cheese on top. The sweetness of the caramelized onions paired with the rich beef broth makes this a hearty and comforting soup.
- Clam Chowder – A creamy soup filled with clams, potatoes, onions, and celery. This soup is a classic dish of the northeastern United States and is traditionally served in a bread bowl.
- Gazpacho – This Spanish soup is served cold and made with raw, blended vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. It’s a refreshing dish perfect for hot summer days.
- Lentil Soup – A protein-packed soup that is both filling and comforting. Lentils are simmered with vegetables and spices until tender, creating a flavorful and hearty soup.
- Hot and Sour Soup – A Chinese soup known for its complex flavors. It’s spicy from chili oil, sour from vinegar, and contains a variety of ingredients like tofu, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots.
- Pho – A Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, and meat, usually beef. Pho is a popular street food in Vietnam and the broth is simmered for several hours with spices.
- Tom Kha Gai – This is a classic Thai soup with a coconut milk base, galangal, lemongrass, and chicken. It’s a perfect blend of spicy, sweet, and sour.
- Tortilla Soup – A traditional Mexican soup made with fried corn tortilla pieces, submerged into a broth of tomato, garlic, and onion. It’s served with pieces of pasilla chiles, avocado, fresh cheese, and sour cream.
- Mulligatawny – Originating from Indian cuisine, this soup is a combination of meat, vegetables, and spices. The name translates to “pepper-water”.
- Avgolemono – This Greek soup is made with chicken, rice, and a mixture of lemon and egg to create a creamy texture.
- Goulash – A soup of meat and vegetables, seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating from Hungary, goulash is a national dish and symbol of the country.
- Harira – A traditional Moroccan soup of tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, and lamb, it’s usually eaten during dinner in the holy month of Ramadan.
- Bouillabaisse – A traditional Provençal fish stew originating from the port city of Marseille in France. It usually also includes various herbs and spices.
- Wonton Soup – A classic Chinese soup where wontons are boiled in a flavorful broth with vegetables.
- Pumpkin Soup – A usually ‘bound’ (thick) soup made from a purée of pumpkin. It is made by combining the meat of a blended pumpkin with broth or stock.
- Caldo Verde – A popular soup in Portuguese cuisine with main ingredients of kale, potatoes, and sausage.
- Borscht – A sour soup common in Eastern Europe, particularly Russia and Ukraine. It’s made with beetroot as the main ingredient, giving it a distinctive red color.
Chicken Noodle Soup
This classic soup offers a warm hug in a bowl. Chicken and egg noodles combine in a savory broth with carrots, celery onions and herbs. The renovating properties make it ideal when fighting a cold. Or pair it with sandwiches or salads for a nutritious meal anytime.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
This rich, ultra-creamy soup blends broccoli and onions with gooey, melty cheddar cheese. Blending in potato thickens it up while keeping it light. 20 Popular Soup Recipes For more nutrition, use reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth. The addictive, cheesy flavor makes this a top soup choice year after year.
Tomato Soup
A base of tomatoes, onion, carrots and celery simmers until achieving a thick, rich state. Vegetable or chicken broth offers a savory backing for herbs to shine. This sweet, tangy red soup begs to be dunked with crusty bread or grilled cheese sandwiches for dunking. Go for well-flavored roasted tomatoes when possible for even deeper vibrancy.
Potato Leek Soup
Simple yet elegant, this classic French soup combines chopped potatoes and sliced leeks in a creamy broth. Melted butter finishes it off with flair. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Chives, bacon crumbles or cheddar cheese all make tasty toppings. The clean flavors, velvety texture and soothing warmth explain its sustained popularity through the decades.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
All the fixings of a baked potato – Cheddar, bacon, scallions and sour cream – spike the base of russet potatoes here for a rich, memorable soup. 20 Popular Soup Recipes There are no accompaniments needed to enjoy this decadent one-bowl feast, perfect for chilly nights or NFL spreads. Adjust saltiness by using low- or full-sodium broth.
Minestrone Soup
Minestrone soup checks all the boxes with protein, veggies and pasta in a dynamic tomato base. Beans, zucchini, cabbage and spinach frequently feature as larger ingredients. Small pasta shapes like ditalini soak up the rich, herb-laced broth. 20 Popular Soup Recipes An Italian classic, this chunky soup makes a hearty meal thanks to the inclusion of beans or meat.
Tuscan Bean Soup
Cannellini beans pair up with onion, carrots, celery, spinach and hearty kale in this Italian-style soup seasoned with rosemary and Parmesan. Mostly white beans lend it a smooth, luxurious texture contrasted by crunchy vegetables. Whole grain bread or crusty rolls pull the hearty components together into a cream-hued masterpiece.
Vegetable Soup
Home cooks rely on this classic vegetable soup to use seasonal garden vegetables and pantry items efficiently. Onions, carrots and celery build an aromatic backbone while potatoes, beans, cabbage, corn and greens feature heavily. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Vegetable broth and tomato paste amp up the color and nutrition. Make in big batches since it freezes extremely well for effortless future meals.
Split Pea Soup
This rib-sticking soup has comforted families for generations with humble split peas, smoky ham hocks and mirepoix. The peas break down into a lush green-hued base. Blending half gives it a creamy texture and pretty presentation. 20 Popular Soup Recipes This protein-dense soup makes an easy one-pot meal thanks to the peas and optional ham or sausage meat.
Lentil Soup
Protein-packed lentil soup offers a wealth of health perks with its legumes, veggies and spices. Onion, carrot and celery provide aromatic flavor before red or brown lentils break down into an earthy, fibre-full base. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Tomato paste and lemon brighten it up while cumin, coriander and paprika lend intrigue. Swap veggie broth for chicken for variation anytime.
Ramen Soup
While instant ramen is convenient, homemade soup delivers far more flavor and nutrition without the sodium and additives. Chicken or vegetable broth can be augmented with ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil for intensity. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Noodles, chicken, mushrooms, onion and cabbage simmer briefly before topping with scallions and an egg.
Wonton Soup
Delicate pork and prawn wontons become sublime when floating in this gingery chicken broth dotted with scallions. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Chile oil, hoisin sauce and a touch of rice vinegar allow customization alongside egg noodles. With a few meaty wontons, each spoonful beckons you back for more of this restaurant favorite. Intentional seasoning is key to producing balanced, addictive flavors.
Chili
Protein, beans, tomatoes, chili powder and cumin fuse spectacularly in America’s favorite soup chili. Ground beef or turkey works well as does shredded chicken or pork. Pinto or kidney beans bulk it up and offer fiber. Diced onion, peppers and garlic provide a spicy aroma before dicing tomatoes lend their acidic sweetness. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Top with cheese, sour cream, chives and tortilla chips for a dynamic meal.
Tortilla Soup
This Mexican favorite stars fried tortilla strips simmering in a zesty, tomato-flecked chicken broth with chicken, onions, chilies, garlic and spices like cumin, bay leaf and oregano. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Avocado, Jack cheese, cilantro and lime garnish to let the bright, nourishing flavors sing. Beef or shrimp varietals certainly impress as well in this one-bowl fiesta.
French Onion Soup
Caramelizing onions slowly and carefully gives classic French onion soup its bronzed sweetness and deep, aromatic flavor. A touch of sugar speeds the Maillard reaction. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Beef and chicken broth then simmer before being topped with bread and bubbling cheese. The balance of crunchy, cheesy topping over intensely savory broth makes this belle of the soup ball.
Clam Chowder
Two styles of clam chowder tantalize tastebuds…New England rounds up clams, bacon, potatoes and cream for indulgence. Manhattan red packs a tomato foundation with clams and thyme plus tubers and celery. Either delivers comforting richness and tender seafood bites perfect to warm winter tables, particularly with buttery bread or crackers to round it out.
Stracciatella Soup
This Italian soup makes eating spinach riveting by whisking eggs into hot broth with Parmesan right before serving for fluffy green egg bits to garnish. Gently cooking the spinach in garlic-infused broth then finishing it elegantly with egg and cheese stretches the veggie into a meal. Croutons or breadcrumbs add one more fun, tasty dimension to get carried away with.
Miso Soup
In this brothy Japanese staple, miso paste’s savory umami magic comes through loud and clear. Dashi stock combines it with seaweed like kombu then adds tofu, mushrooms or veggies toward the end to preserve their texture. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Customize your bowl’s ingredients like garlic, onion, kale, edamame or chicken. Hot, fast and light, miso soup makes the perfect starter or snack.
Chicken and Dumplings
Tender pillowy dumplings make this chicken soup extra cozy and fun to eat. Meaty chicken and vegetables flavor reduced-sodium chicken broth into an aromatic, saucy base. Rolled out biscuit dough then simmers atop until fluffy, forming sturdy dumplings. 20 Popular Soup Recipes As the starch reacts with the broth , it naturally thickens. For even more comfort food decadence, use your dumplings and gravy recipe.
Gazpacho (Cold Soup)
Andalusian gazpacho refreshes palates with raw blended vegetables starring tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. Immensely flavorful olive oil and vinegar join them with garlic, onion and breadcrumbs. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Chilling the components allows the sweet juices and crunchy bits to sparkle in the heat. Toppings like hard-boiled egg, bacon, almonds or grapes make tasty additions to this cold soup.
Conclusion
These 20 most popular soup recipes should fulfill any soup-related comfort food cravings or nutrition goals. They demonstrate endless versatility through global flavors, vegetables, different bases and toppings. While homemade versions do require more effort than canned soups, they deliver vastly superior texture and dimension of flavors. 20 Popular Soup Recipes So break out your best stock pot to simmer up some cozy bowls of split pea stew or spicy chili while the weather stays chilly out there!
Read More: 20 Popular Soup Recipes
FAQs
Q: What are good soup toppings?
A: Common soup toppings include croutons, bread crumbs, crackers, toasted bread, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, crumbled bacon, sliced almonds, chives, scallions, tortilla strips or nacho chips, avocado and lemon wedges.
Q: How can I use up vegetables to make soup?
A: Veggie scraps like onion ends, mushroom stems, potato peels (scrubbed) and any ugly but still fresh 20 Popular Soup Recipes produce are perfect soup ingredients. Just dice and simmer in broth with standard soup veggies and seasonings.
Q: Which is the healthiest soup?
A: Many soups can be healthy if made with low-sodium broth, lean meats like chicken, lots of vegetables, whole grains like barley or brown rice and minimal dairy or oil. Bean or lentil soups also offer great nutrition from plant proteins and fiber.
Q: What ingredients thicken soup?
A: Starchy ingredients like potatoes, pasta, rice, barley or pureed beans thicken broth as they cook and release starches. Blending or pureeing some soft veggies into soup also lends body. 20 Popular Soup Recipes Whisking a paste of oil and flour into hot soup creates a roux to gradually thicken.
Q: Is it safe to reheat soup multiple times?
A: Avoid reheating any soup more than once. The problem is certain bacteria can form spores that survive boiling, then proliferate when cooled down into the “danger zone” of 40 to 140 °F during storage. Reheating only destroys vegetative cells allowing spores to thrive.
How long can I store these soups?
Most soups can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
What can I serve with these soups?
Soups can be served with a variety of sides such as bread, salad, or a light sandwich.
What are some tips for making soup?
Some tips include using homemade stock, sautéing vegetables before adding liquid, and seasoning gradually.
Can I make these soups vegetarian or vegan?
Yes, most of these soups can be made vegetarian or vegan by substituting the meat with plant-based proteins and using vegetable stock 20 Popular Soup Recipes.
